The Best of Podcastle 2019

written by David Steffen

Podcastle is the weekly fantasy podcast published by Escape Artists, which at the beginning of 2019 was co-edited by Jen Albert and Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali. During the year Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali stepped down and now at this time the podcast is co-edited by Jen Albert and Cherae Clark. As well as weekly full-length feature episodes, they also publish occasional standalone flash stories as bonus episodes, as well as multiple short-short stories for the occasional feature episode collection.

Podcastle published 50 stories by my count in 2019.

As it happens, every story on this list was originally published prior to 2019, so none of them are eligible for Hugo and Nebula awards, but there are plenty of other great stories published there for you to consider if you like that sort of thing.

The List

1. “The Resurrectionist” by J.P. Sullivan, narrated by Wilson Fowlie
The skill of resurrecting people has fallen out of favor but there are still people who do it, it’s a matter of visiting the deceased in their dreamlike interstitial space and bringing them back across the divide by hook or by crook.

2. “The Bone Poet and God” by Matt Dovey, narrated by Eliza Chan
Every bone carries four magical runes on their body, engraved to the bone, including one that they are born with and isn’t revealed until they die.

3. “The Masochist’s Assistant” by Auston Habershaw, narrated by Matt Dovey
It is no easy job being the assistant of a magical masochist who demands he be killed at regular intervals every day.

4. “Balloon Man” by Shiv Ramdas, narrated by Kaushik Narasimhan
Whatever is true, the opposite is also true. That is the way of stories.

5. “The Deliverers of Their Country” by E. Nesbit, narrated by Katherine Inskip
Dragons are back in the world and proving to be quite a menace, which Effie only finds out when one gets stuck in her eye.

Honorable Mentions

“I am not I” (part 1 and 2) by G.V. Anderson, narrated by Tatiana Grey

“A Toy Princess” by Mary de Morgan, narrated by Eleanor Wood

“When Leopard’s-Bane Came to the Door of Third Heaven” by Vajra Chandrasekera, narrated by Peter Behravesh

The Best of Podcastle 2018

written by David Steffen

Podcastle is the weekly fantasy podcast published by Escape Artists, edited by Jen Albert and Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali. As well as weekly full-length feature episodes, they also publish occasional standalone flash stories as bonus episodes, as well as triple flash stories for the occasional feature episode collection.

In February Podcastle once again participated in the Artemis Rising event across the Escape Artists podcasts, publishing fantasy stories written by women and nonbinary authors.

Podcastle published 55 stories by my count in 2018.

Because #4 on the list is a story I originally published, I made the list one story longer so that it wouldn’t push another story off.

Every short story that is eligible for Hugo nominations this year which were first published by Podcastle are marked with an asterisk (*).

The List

1.“The Last Exorcist” by Danny Lore
A magazine article about Naheem, the last great exorcist in the modern day where demon-possessed people are a legally protected class.

2. “The Fumblers Alley Risk Emporium” by Julian Mortimer Smith
You can get almost anything at the Risk Emporium, as long as you’re willing to pay. It is no place for the desperate.

3. “Never Yawn Under a Banyan Tree” by Nibedita Sen
…or a ghost may leap down your throat and make itself very inconvenient.

4. “The Aunties Return the Ocean” by Chris Kuriata
The magical and spiteful aunties who live among us steal most of the ocean and bargain with their neighbors to give it back.

5. “A Non-Hero’s Guide to the Road of Monsters” by A.T. Greenblatt
A non-hero treads the path where hero after hero has failed, finding new ways to face the challenges.

6. “Waters of Versailles” (Parts 1, 2, and 3) by Kelly Robson
A man tries to make a name for himself in high society in Versailles with the help of a nisky companion helping him bring plumbing to the palace.

Honorable Mentions

“Hosting the Solstice” by Tim Pratt*

“The Island of the Nine Whirlpools” by E. Nesbit

“A Fine Balance” by Charlotte Ashley

“The Threadbare Magician” (Part 1 and 2) by Cat Rambo

The Best of Podcastle 2017

written by David Steffen

Podcastle is the weekly fantasy podcast published by Escape Artists. At the beginning of the year it was co-edited by Graeme Dunlop and Jen Albert. Partway through the year Graeme retired from the position and his co-editor seat was filled by Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali. As well as weekly full-length feature episodes, they also publish occasional standalone flash stories as bonus episodes, as well as triple flash stories for the occasional feature episode collection.

Because of an author pay-rate change in 2016, they qualified within 2017 as a qualifying market for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, which means they have to meet certain criteria.

In February Podcastle once again participated in the Artemis Rising event across the Escape Artists podcasts, publishing fantasy stories written by women and nonbinary authors.

Podcastle has had a solid year; it was super hard to winnow the full list of 75 stories down to the necessary count.

Every short story that is eligible for Hugo nominations this year which were first published by Podcastle are marked with an asterisk (*), novelettes are marked with a double-asterisk. If the original publisher was someone besides Podcastle, the original publisher is noted in parentheses for award-eligible fiction.

The List

1. “How I Became Coruscating Queen of All the Realms, Pierced the Obsidian Night, Destroyed a Legendary Sword, and Saved My Heart’s True Love” by Baker & Dovey* (first published in No Shit There I Was)
Included in an anthology of bar-style exaggerated story, an over-the-top fun exaggerated epic fantasy.

2. “The Chaos Village” (and part 2) by M.K. Hutchins**
Neuro-atypical man ventures into the chaotic ever-shifting area feared by most to explore. Sequel to Golden Chaos.

3. “Home is a House That Loves You” by Rachael K. Jones*
Everyone turns into structures of their choice when they get older. You can live on to support your family long after your fleshy body passes away.

4. “All of the Cuddles With None of the Pain” by J.J. Roth*
Artificial companions mimic human babies that won’t grow up and leave you behind. But sometimes they become human…

5. “Winter Witch” by Matt Dovey*
The witch can’t fix everything, but sometimes she can make a difference.

6. “Zilal and the Many-Folded Puzzle Ship” by Charlotte Ashley*
An intricately built boat can be reconfigured in many different ways.

7. “Six Jobs” by Tim Pratt
Recruited for magical work at a young age, moving from job to job.

8. “Shadow Man, Sack Man, Half Dark, Half Light” by Malon Edwards* (first published in Shimmer)
A compelling dark story with less common monsters.

Honorable Mentions

“Blackbird Pastry” by Megan Branning*

“The Names of the Sky” by Matthew Claxton*

“A Whisper in the Weld” by Alix E. Harrow

“Maiden, Mother, Crone” by Ann Leckie and Rachel Swirsky